Birth By Fire
by BabyBard
Summary: Waiting in Lauren's apartment for her girlfriend to come home, Bo is more than a little bit surprised at what she discovers.
1. Chapter 1

_'Peep.'_

"Shhh, did you hear that?"

"Yep. Do you think we should-"

"SHHH!"

Silence. Then...

_'Peep.'_

"It's in here! The sound came from that corner!" The leather clad brunette clutched the dagger in her fist tighter, the plush carpet making no sound under her bare feet as she stalked cautiously towards the kitchen, ears straining to pinpoint where the strange noises were coming from.

All and all it had been a quiet afternoon in the up-scale up apartment complex until a few minutes ago.

With their latest case finally settled the previous day, and an eternally grateful dryad rescued from the clutches of a jealous pixie and returned safely to her forest grove, Bo the unaligned succubus and her human best friend had trudged back to her girlfriends apartment after a hard day's shopping. It turned out that dryads had a fondness for shiny stones, and they had both received more than enough to cover their expenses and then some for at least the next few months in gratitude. As a result Bo was practically staggering through the front door under the weight of both their packages – having been relegated to pack-horse by the little Russian due to her status of 'supernatural bad-ass' (a phrase coined by Kenzi after Bo told her in no uncertain terms that her original description of 'genetic weirdness' wasn't really inspiring her to provide much help).

Muttering under her breath, Bo had dropped the parcels in a pile in the hallway before flopping down on the outrageously comfy white leather couch that she and the good doctor had christened thoroughly only a few weeks earlier. "Good god, remind me again how all of this crap is 'essentials'?"

She unzipped her trusty leather boots and pulled them off with a groan, setting them down carefully next to her rather than just tossing them across the room like she would if they were in the crackshack. "And did we really have to go to three different malls?"

"Yes, we really did – and I'll have you know that everything here was a total essential. Just look at these shoes!" The petite girl bounced excitedly around the pile of assorted goodies that she had dragged in from where Bo had left them, plucking a shoe-box off the top and waving it's contents at her.

"Careful with that, if you break something else in Lauren apartment she might actually strangle you."

"First of all, that microscope thing was totally not my fault..." Kenzi ignored the succubus as she snorted and arched an eyebrow at her. "-and secondly, we both know that hotpants would never hurt little old me. She's spent too much effort saving this fine ass to kill me herself."

"Lucky for you she took a Hippocratic oath, huh?" Bo teased, relaxing back into the ridiculously comfortable piece of furniture beneath her, loving the faint scent of her girlfriend that lingered in the apartment around her. An uncomfortable digging in her upper thigh prompted her to unbuckle the long dagger strapped to it as a familiar precaution, and she set it carefully down on the thick glass coffee table across from her.

She had been delighted when Lauren had invited her to bring Kenzi around with her for dinner tonight. Though the two seemed to have bonded recently, their friendship was still new and Bo wanted to encourage it's growth as much as possible. She hadn't even been bothered by the fact that her best friend would probably end up passing out and having to stay the night, as she knew for a fact that the walls of her girlfriend's new condo were a lot thicker than those at their place, and soundproofed to boot. The fact that they would both be able to enjoy the wonder that was Lauren Lewis's scientifically-guided cooking was just an added bonus.

Bo stretched languidly, ignoring her best friends continued gushing over her new purchases, and pulling her phone out of her pocket. She pouted slightly when she didn't find any new txts from Lauren, just the last one from an hour ago saying that she was finishing up something at the lab and that her and Kenzi should let themselves in if they got back before she did. The succubus smiled to herself as she read it over again, eyes lingering on the heart emoticon at the end as she subconscious twirled the key to Lauren's apartment in her fingers.

The key had been a delightful surprise that her girlfriend had given to her merely three weeks ago, at the end of a perfect day out together. They had spent the morning tangled together in the doctors sheets, and the afternoon taking advantage of the summer heatwave at the beach...just the two of them, warm sand, cool surf, a delicious picnic courteous of Lauren – the even more delicious sight of the blonde's toned body in a little red bikini...

_Thump_

Bo jerked in shock, relying on some serious last minute flailing to keep from tumbling of the couch and onto the floor as a (thankfully empty) shoe box smacked into her chest, taking her by surprise. "HEY! What the hell was that for?"

Kenzi narrowed her pale eyes at her, hands settling on slender hips. "I saw those eyes flash missy. Don't forget that you aren't the only one who was invited for dinner. No snacking on the doctor until I am either gone or out cold, you hear me?!"

The succubus pouted, not particularly happy about being rudely disrupted from what had been working out to be a very pleasant high definition replay of her girlfriend wading out of the ocean in her swimwear, water glistening in the radiant sun as it rushed off her long limbs. "I promise to keep my hands off Lauren until we have gone to bed."

The goth looked at her skeptically.

"Well mostly off. In PG-13 zones only. When you're in the room."

Her best friend sighed."That's the best offer I'm going to get isn't it?"

"She is my girlfriend Kenz. My gorgeous, brilliant girlfriend. And it's been a month!"

"Two and a half weeks Bo. It's been just under two and a half WEEKS. During which you talked to her almost every day. For goodness sake woman, control yourself before you embarrass yourself!"

"Talking to her over the phone is nothing compared to spending time with her in person! I can't see her smiling and gesturing as she geeks out, or see her beautiful eyes and the emotion in them. I can't hold her or-"

"All right, all right! I get the point. She'll be here soon hon, so just try to contain yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll...wait, did you hear that?"

Kenzi frowned. "Hear what?"

"There was a noise, a squeaking sound. Then a banging...like something got knocked over."

"Are you sure? 'Cause I didn't hear any-"

"Shhh! There it is again!"

Bo pulled herself up smoothly and silently from the couch, reaching for the dagger she had left on the coffee table. "Stay here."

"Uh, yeah. That aint happening." Scoffing, Kenzi bounded lithely to her feet and took up the rear guard behind the suddenly very focused looking succubus.

Bo sniffed, nose winkling as she scented the air."Does it smell smoky in here to you? Like something's burning?"

"A little. Don't see any actual smoke though."

"No, me either. Keep an eye out."

"Well duh."

The duo moved into the hallway, ears straining to pick up the slightest sound. The human was just beginning to wonder if they had been overreacting when...

_'Meep.'_

"Shhh, did you hear that?" Bo's head turned rapidly, scanning the area.

"Yep. Do you think we should-"

"SHHH!"

Silence. Then..

_'Peep.'_

"It's in here! The sound came from that corner!" The leather clad brunette clutched the dagger in her fist tighter, the plush carpet making no sound under her bare feet as she stalked cautiously towards the kitchen, ears straining to pinpoint if it was where the strange noises were coming from.

That mystery was abruptly cleared up when loud crash of shattering glass came from the open-plan room, making Kenzi jump and Bo snarl, diving in the direction of the disturbance. Rounding the corner in a flash of leather and aggression, the succubus paused when she skidded to a halt in the apparently empty kitchen. The base of her skull was tingling however, a warning that she had learnt the hard way to pay attention to, and so she dropped into a defensive crouch, anticipating trouble. Whatever was going on, it had a fae feel to it, and that was never good. She couldn't help but notice a strong, fishy aroma on the air and as her eyes scanned the room for clues they quickly fell upon a broken jar of anchovies next to the tall cupboard to the right of the fridge – clearly the source of the smell.

_'__But what,'_ Bo wondered, _'caused it to fall from where it usually was, in line with three other brightly colored jars of preserved Mediterranean foods.'_

Squaring her shoulders and making sure Kenzi was a safe distance behind her (she would never live down the time she had accidentally elbowed the poor girl in the face during a fight), she moved towards the stack of box cupboards, alert eyes scanning for any clues that might be found. There was nothing too obvious, but she noticed that another one of the decorative bottles was slightly out of line – something that her very particular girlfriend would never tolerate.

Quietly, and without removing her eyes from the spot, Bo grabbed one of the chairs from the kitchen bar and used it to peer over the top.

She was utterly unprepared for what she found.

Removing the jar eliminated the hiding place of a very strange looking bird. It was small, roughly half the size of a pigeon, and had the most beautiful plumage Bo had ever seen. Soft, almost fluffy seeming feathers covered it in layers of crimson, gold and fiery orange – almost appearing to glitter in the thin beams of sunlight that reached the previously darkened corner. It's tail was nearly as long as the creature itself, and the same burnished copper color of it's two spindly little legs. It's eyes, she noticed curiously, were a glistening sapphire – a lot like her own whenever her inner succubus emerged – and they seemed to hold an almost frighting level of intelligence.

All and all, it was most certainly _not_ the kind of creature she had been expecting to discover.

Temporarily stunned, Bo merely blinked. The bird blinked back.

Snapping out of her daze, Bo made a grab for the creature. It was damn fast, she realized a little too late, but fortunately for her it didn't really have anywhere to go – and when it rebounded off the wall it had reflexively bounced for, she was able to capture it and keep a hold of it as she jumped back down to the ground. The bird didn't take kindly to this, screeching surprisingly loudly and squirming desperately in her grip, and this was the scene of chaos that greeted Lauren when she finally arrived home and followed the alarming sounds into her kitchen.

"BO! What are you doing? Be careful!" Shocked as she was, the doctor quickly snapped out of it, surprise turning instantly to concern.

"It's okay babe, look at the thing. It's no going to hurt me, I've got it." Bo waved the struggling animal in front of her, stilling when her girlfriend made a choked sound and waved her arms at her in alarm.

"I meant be careful with IT!" Lauren rushed forward, carefully scooping the disgruntled little bird out of the brunette's grip.

Bo blinked in shock as she watched the doctor cup the strange creature gently in her hands and lift it up to her face, turning it slowly from side to side as if inspecting it for damage. Apparently finding none, she smoothed down the rumpled feathers on it's neck and pulled the now much calmer looking bird into her chest as it finally went silent.

She narrowed her eyes accusingly at the succubus and her human companion. "What were you doing?! You could have hurt him!"

"We heard it making a noise, we thought someone had broken in!" Bo watched the creature settle down in it's new perch in her girlfriends hands, tucking its beak into the crook of one of her fingers and shutting those unnerving blue eyes. "I'm...um, sorry?"

Lauren sighed, turning and walking back into the lounge, where she pulled open one of the drawers in her desk. She lifted an ordinary looking stereo remote from it, pressing six of the buttons in rapid succession and the two women behind her let out simultaneous gasps of shock as the panel of leafy greenery slid slowly to one side with a soft hiss, revealing a well-lit staircase leading downwards.

Unsurprisingly, Kenzi was the first to comment. "Holy James Bond villain! What's with the secret lair Dr Evilpants?"

The blonde bit back a chuckle, looking past her to the succubus whose jaw was still nearly on the floor. "It's my home research lab. I've told you about this Bo, remember?"

"Well yeah, but I never thought...I mean I assumed you just meant your desk and equipment and stuff! This is...this is..."

"Totally. Bitchin'."

Lauren simply rolled her eyes, tilting her head to silently indicate for the duo to follow her as she made her way down the short, narrow staircase into the room below. About 12 by 12 feet and full of hi-tech looking computers, it was lit brightly by a series of fluorescent panels on the ceiling and smelt faintly of disinfectant. On a solid stainless steel bench set along the right side of the room, a strange looking iron cage sat next to a deep sink, beneath a trio of powerful heat lamps.

Which, Bo mused to herself, were probably the reason for the wall of blistering heat that had slapped them in the face when they stepped off the last stair and passed through a sliding glass door.

"Urgh, what's with the sauna? Do you sit around naked in here or something?" Kenzi fanned herself frantically, eyes widening as she took in the temperature displayed in large glowing numbers on a screen of one of the computers.

Bo's eyes flashed electric for a moment at the thought of her girlfriend lounging amongst all this sciency equipment with nothing covering her soft skin but sweat and possibly a lab coat. She shook herself slightly to regain control before turning her attention back to the aforementioned blonde, who thankfully had been too distracted by her strange new pet to notice.

"Sorry, the place is normally a lot cooler, but this little guy needs to be kept in a much more constant and hot environment, so the heating has to be set right up."

Lauren crossed the room, placing the bird down on the bench next to the cage while she turned the ancient looking lock mechanism in her hands, aligning the symbols in the correct combination, eventually releasing it with a click and causing the front of it to swing open.

Bo and Kenzi both shuffled forward, peering into the structure with fascination as the doctor picked up the creature again and deposited him gently into a thick nest of wool and wood-chips, being careful not to brush her bare skin against the heated metal bars. She checked the thin tube on the other side of the cage that was dripping a constant stream of water onto a piece of free draining mesh before puling her hands out, the interior too hot for her to leave them in long without beginning to blister.

"Kenzi, can you please grab me the round container from the second to top self in the fridge over there?"

The girl obeyed quickly, only too happy to stick her head in anything cooled, even if only for a moment. She was glad that though the other racks were full of various gross and sciency looking things there was only one round container on the second to top one and picked it up, pulling a face at the red meaty looking substance inside.

"Eww, what is this stuff?" Kenzi wrinkled her nose as she set the offending plastic capsule into Lauren's waiting palm, taking a wary step back as she opened it.

"It's a blend of puréed raw fish, beef and goat's meat. An unusual mix, I'll admit, but it's what is best for him at this stage of his development."

She scooped a tablespoon of the stuff from the container and plopped it down in a little glass bowl next to the water dropper, causing the bird to lift it's head instantly. He clambered out of his nest and hopped over to the meat, pecking at it greedily.

"And, um, what exactly _IS_ he?" Bo's eyes were flicking between the bird and the bold, ancient looking letters set into a solid sheet of iron just beneath the door.

_**Φοίνιξ phóinīx **_

Strange. She wondered what it meant.

Lauren swallowed thickly, drawing the two other women's attention back to her. "Um, I...you have to understand how important it is that this remains a secret."

Bo and Kenzi both nodded at the doctor, but she shook her head. "No, I really mean it. No-one can know, not Hale, not Dyson or Tamsin. _No-one._ We can't risk news of it spreading around the fae." She narrowed her eyes slightly at the Russian who winced sheepishly.

"Okay. I promise. Pinky-swear and all."

Lauren sighed, hand coming up to trail through her hair. She turned back to the cage, the worry on her face slipping away slightly as the little bird hopped over the sawdust lining on the floor towards her.

"You remember the fire in The Morrigan's mansion two weeks ago?"

Bo shuddered. "Oh yeah, everyone is still expecting her to swoop down and melt a bunch of people for that. I can't believe they still haven't caught who did it, would have thought she'd be on the warpath."

A smile twitched at the corner of Lauren's lips, blonde locks tousling slightly as she shook her head. "They haven't caught who did it because there _wasn't_ anybody. The blaze started in one of The Morrigan's own secure collection vaults, and she knew immediately what it was. After all, what else but the contents could melt straight through a foot of re-enforced steel from the inside out and set an unbelievably hot fire ripping through an entire wing only for it to stop as abruptly as it started?"

Kenzi whistled. "Damn, what kind of weapon was in the vault? Some kind of super fae napalm? Another one of those ugly volcano rock monsters?"

"You mean a Cherufe, and no, nothing like that. It was an egg actually - more specifically, it was this little guy."

"Wait wait wait, you're telling me that the pretty little chicken over there burnt down half of one of the most secure buildings in Toronto?!" Kenzi's disbelief was obvious, skepticism morphing into confusion when she realized that Lauren didn't appear to be joking.

All three of them turned to stare at the bird again, who had started scratching at the now blackened pile of thicker wood chips in one of the corners, all but the doctor jumping a little as a previously unnoticed extraction fan sitting in the wall above the cage switched itself on with a metallic whir when thin wisps of smoke began to rise.

"That _'pretty little chicken'_ as you so eloquently put it, is one of the most ancient and revered magical creatures of all time. It's a phoenix – well," the doctor broke off and returned her gaze to the small creature who had grown bored of what was now little more than a glowing patch of embers and was instead running in excited circles around the dripping water, "he's just a baby, but still incredibly powerful."

"A baby who attacked The Morrigan. I don't get it. Why target her?" Bo was confused.

"Oh no, he didn't attack her. All he did was hatch. The egg was a priceless relic that had been passed through the greatest of Dark fae royalty and leaders for over three millennia and was currently in secure holding under Evony's care."

"Woah, three millennia? And it took that long to hatch? Without rotting? Heh, I would have turned it into an omelet by now."

Lauren shook her head and gave the young Russian a chastising look. "That would be both extremely unwise and impossible to actually accomplish, given that phoenix eggs are almost indestructible. They also do not age or decay, but rather stay in a form of dormancy for however long it takes for them to sense a suitable guardian to latch onto – at which point they resume their development and hatch at a temperature of almost 600 degrees Celsius. Hence the fire."

"Holy shitballs, and you touched that thing?!"

"He wouldn't hurt me." The doctor looked indignant. "He would never hurt me. Not intentionally."

Bo growled a little, a suspicious frown settling like a cloud over her features. "Just how sure of that are you? Because in my experience, you should never trust anything fae – not completely. What makes you think that this thing won't turn around and bite the hand that feeds it?"

"Gotta go with suckyface on this one."

"No, you don't understand, I'm...how much do you know about phoenix?"

The succubus's face scrunched a little in thought. "Nothing really, only what is common mythology, like in books and stuff."

Lauren nodded in understanding. "Right. Well there is a lot more to them than that. Phoenix aren't fae, as such, but rather magical creatures – the oldest and strongest of all, none the less. According to fae mythology, the first phoenix was born from the heart of the sun when the first of it's rays touched earth. They are the very embodiment of light and fire, seen as protectors and beacons of hope capable of great acts of healing, but also powerful and forces of unmatched destruction. They never truly die, but rather collapse in on themselves - not unlike stars – and revert back to an unhatched egg awaiting their time to rise again. They are also unbelievably rare, in fact it is said that there can only ever be three in existence around the world at any time."

"Okay, and the dark fae got their hands on one...how?"

Slim shoulders shrugged. "That I don't know. Presumably somebody must have been nearby when one died, close enough to be able to find the egg but not so close as to be consumed by the resulting inferno. Phoenix eggs are impossible to trace by human means or magic, and neither them nor the creatures themselves have any kind of discernible scent to be followed. Either way, this one has been in dark fae possession for so long that – while it certainly wasn't forgotten – nobody was actually expecting it to hatch."

"So why did it? The Morrigan's charmingly abrasive personality finally drive it to break out and set all her shit on fire?"

Lauren sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as the two dark haired women in front of her giggled and snorted at what they appeared to consider the height of humor. This was not helping with what was going to be the harder part of her revelation. The part that would change everything. _'Best to just go for it,'_ she reasoned, _'rip the band-aid off rather than a delayed pull.'_

"He hatched because I was nearby."

Blank stares. Confusion. Then...

"What?" It was Bo who spoke – probably a good thing as Kenzi was squinting at her as though trying to figure out her angle. She didn't let it phase her.

"You remember what I just said Bo? About how the eggs would remain dormant until they are found by their guardians? Well apparently that is me, and my presence in Evony's vaults was close enough for him to recognize this and imprint, which in turn set his development in motion again."

"WHAT?" Lauren jumped at the outburst, unable to contain a reflexive flinch before reaching for the cage, knowing full well what was about to happen. She wasn't fast enough.

In a flash the phoenix had phased from inside the bared enclosure to appear standing on the cold tile between the two of them. There it spread it's glittering wings, appearing to shimmer around the edges for a few long moments before the heat seemed to consume it from the inside out and it erupted into a ball of flame.

"DON'T!" The doctor yelled a warning to Bo, who had snarled and reached for the dagger on her thigh, before stepping forward for the agitated little bird. "Why did you do that? You scared him!"

"_I_ SCARED _HIM_? THAT THING IS A WALKING FIREBALL - don't pick it up."

Lauren ignored her. The flames licked warmly along her arms, heating her skin without burning her, and as she scooped the creature into her hands they receded entirely until all that was left was a puffed up bundle of feathers. She petted the fuming animal gently, soothing it's protective rage while it glowered at the succubus over her fingers – a look that was definitely being returned.

"Like I said before Bo, he won't hurt me. I'm his guardian, his guide, and as such I am bound to him." She took a deep breath. "Forever."

"Forever? He's claimed you? No. No! We can fix this, I will fix this."

"Sweetheart, there's nothing to fix." Bo opened her mouth and she shook her head, holding up her hand to silence the protest. "Listen to me, okay? This is a good thing. Do you know how much of an honor this is? There isn't a fae alive that wouldn't do anything to be chosen by a phoenix – the fact that it was me, a human, is amazing. You have to understand, he may be a baby now but he will grow. As the guardian of a phoenix nobody will harm me, they wouldn't dare even if it wasn't totally against their code to do so. Do you know how long it's been since a phoenix has been seen by anybody, fae or human? Their power, both destructive and healing, there is so much to be gained – to be learned from it! And there are other benefits too."

"Like what? Tax rebates? Quick, easy barbeque dinners?" Kenzi had found her voice again, and though she had previously hovered defensively behind her best friend, her natural curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"So much. More than I could have ever hoped to achieve, no matter how my status with the fae had improved. You see the bond between magical creatures and their guardians or companions is more than just moral, more than just written in law. It's physical too, mystical even. My natural inclination as a doctor, a healer, is no doubt a result of it, and is something that only will grow stronger as he does. Other abilities could develop as well, the texts on the matter are ancient and sketchy, but all support a transformation of some kind, a binding of spirits that changes both entities for the better."

Bo's eyes widened, her jaw going slack as she finally began to process what her girlfriend was telling her. "So...are you saying you are fae now?"

"No, not fae. I wasn't born fae, and I could therefore never truly be fae. I would be something else entirely. But that isn't the only thing, isn't the part that will have the most effect. Bo, for as long as the phoenix lives, so will I."

Her words hit the succubus like a ton of bricks, and she was barely able to get her next words out. "Forever. You-you could live forever?"

"Well no, not forever. No creature on earth lives forever. But hundreds, thousands of years? Yes. Easily."

"Oh god. Oh my god, are you saying...are you sure?"

A soft, radiant smile seemed to light up her girlfriend from the very core. "Yes Bo, I'm sure."

"This is huge. Oh my god Lauren this is massive! How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted to be certain before I got your hopes up. What I knew of phoenix was only from brief study, out of curiosity. I had never imagined I would even encounter one, let alone be destined to be bound to it. When it happened I was in shock, honestly if it hadn't been for The Morrigan's adeptness to unusual situations and rapid seeking of information I don't know what I would have done. She handled the situation amazingly well, as soon as she realized what had happened she called me in and explained. I thought she was manipulating me, or testing me, or something...but as soon as she brought me to him I knew. I could feel it Bo."

Lauren stroked her fingers lovingly over the bird's back, remembering the undeniable pull that had drawn her forward the second she had laid eyes on him, tiny and featherless amongst a cordoned off pile of still burning rubble. Remembering the warmth that had grown in her chest and suffused her entire being as she picked him up and looked deep into those soulful eyes for the very first time.

"She put me on lock-down and gathered all the information she could. I was still in shock, I asked her why she was doing this for a human that wasn't even hers and she laughed, told me that I would never be owned by either side ever again. This changes everything Bo, and not just for me, but for the fae as well. I needed time to process it, and time to bond with this little guy. I didn't want to keep it a secret from you, and that wasn't my intention. That's why I asked you here tonight, I wanted to discuss what it meant. I wanted you to be the first to know."

Bo could see the honesty shining from Lauren's eyes, and nodded. She felt stunned, unable to fully understand all that this one change truly meant, and sympathized at once with what she must have been feeling the past week. She was right, this was huge, and it was going to take some time to come to terms with. "Okay."

"Okay?"

The vulnerability in the doctor's voice made her wince, had she truly expected her not to understand? To fly off the handle and stomp and rage? She had to admit that it was probably a fair assumption – only a few months ago she most likely would have done exactly that. But that was in the past, she had changed, and had no intention of letting her ego or anything else get in the way of their relationship again. "Okay. I understand. Well, I'm still confused as hell about some things, but I look forward to learning about them with you."

The two shared a long, loaded gaze, which was only broken when Kenzi began to make fake gagging noises. "Um, not to interrupt the love fest or anything, but sparky just disappeared."

Lauren tore her focus away from Bo immediately, looking quickly around the private lab for the missing phoenix before glancing at her silver wristwatch, swearing under her breath. "Oh shit, the evening chorus."

Both of the other women stared blankly at her as she made a mad dash for the stairs. "He heard the local birds singing at dusk through my window a few days ago, and has since been fascinated with them. Funnily, they don't seem to share his enthusiasm, especially when it's accompanied with flame. Excuse me, if you head back into the lounge I'll be back in a minute to start on dinner."

* * *

**A/N - Well, there we go, chapter one. Stay tuned for the next one, with sex, snuggling and more fluffy cuteness! Please let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

Several hours later, full from a delicious meal and warmed by several glasses of wine and good, friendly conversation, Lauren made her way up the stairs to the top story of her loft, turning down the hallway that lead to her bedroom where there was hopefully an equally contented succubus waiting for her. She didn't even have to wait that long, as it turned out, as halfway down the corridor strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against the warm curves of just the person she had been looking for. "Mmm. Hi Bo."

"Hi." Full lips pressed a lingering kiss to the graceful neck bared in front of her. "What kept you?"

"I was just wiping down the bench Bo. Didn't take very long since somebody was a gentleman and insisted on cleaning everything else up for me."

"The least I could do after you cooked that incredible meal for us. Besides, it's not like loading a dishwasher takes much work." The succubus let out a pleased sigh as she immersed herself in the sweet scent of Lauren's hair. "I missed you."

"I've been here all evening, hon."

The familiar chuckle melted Bo's insides, urging her to tighten her hold. "I know, but it's been so long since I could hold you like this. Two and a half weeks is far too much time. Two and a half _days_ is far too much time."

"I agree. But we're here now. I'm not scheduled for work, I'm not even on call. We have all night and all morning to make the most of my big, comfortable bed. All week if we want."

Bo's breath quickened behind her. "Is the little guy tucked away in his cage?"

"Sleeping soundly in his nest. Kenzi?"

"Unconscious. On your couch. Which is probably the most comfortable piece of furniture she has ever passed out on, so I'm sure she's happy."

"Glad to hear it. I'm sorry for introducing her to Dark Belch, in hindsight I probably should have realized she would drink the whole box."

Bo snorted, shaking her head a little where it had come to rest against her shoulder. "Yeah, it seems 40% beer is something that can overcome even the strongest suspicion towards it's maker. Though a red-neck Morrigan is something I would have paid good money to see myself. It almost defies belief."

"Hmm." Lauren had lost track of the conversation, more interested in the hands that were tracing soft circles over her stomach. She was suddenly acutely aware of every point of contact between their bodies, and of just how long it had been since she had felt it. The urge to be looking int Bo's eyes became too much, and she spun in her arms to do exactly that.

Lauren took a step back then, grateful for the opportunity to do what she had been resisting all night and finally give in to the urge to ogle her girlfriends choice of clothing, a sinfully tight crimson vest and pair of leather pants they looked like they had been painted on. She flicked her tongue across her bottom lip, nibbling distractedly. "God, if I had known you were dressed like this today..."

"What? You would have dropped all that boring paperwork? Rushed home to ravish me?" Bo grinned as Lauren gave a little shudder at her huskily delivered words.

"Something like that." Deciding it was the time for action rather than talk, Lauren grabbed the succubus by her vest, spinning them both until she was pressed up against the hallway wall and forcing a gasp from the brunette's lungs.

"Fuck! Lauren...Kenzi!"

"Lauren babe." The doctor bit her hard, perfect white teeth digging into the corded muscle twitching in her neck. "I'm definitely Lauren. Don't forget it."

"No, no I meant-ah...I meant she'll hear!"

"Well I guess," Lauren used the thigh she had pressed solidly between her girlfriends legs to lift her up against the wall further, dropping the hand that wasn't tangled in thick dark tresses to pop the button on the front of her leather pants, "that you will just have to keep quiet, hm?"

"Ohhh." Bo groaned in pleasure as long, dexterous fingers slipped beneath the band of her pants to brush along her swollen folds, spreading the ample liquid that had gathered there around to aid their movements. Her girlfriend had returned her mouth to her neck and seemed to be doing her very best to leave as many marks as possible while slowly driving her insane with the touches between her legs that – while delicious – were still just not enough to be truly satisfying. As she was obviously well aware. Right on cue, as though responding to her lovers thoughts, two of the doctors exploring fingers dipped down until they were circling her entrance. The brunette inhaled sharply in anticipation, shivering when Lauren chuckled in her ear before blowing in it teasingly, making her scratch at the blonde's muscular back through her blouse. "Don't be mean."

"Mean? I'm being mean?" Her sweet, loving girlfriend suddenly sounded a lot more like the devilish 'After-hours Lauren' she had come to know (and love), and given her current position that was making her decidedly nervous. "Is it mean to want to make our first time in two weeks last a little? To want to..._draw it out_?"

Bo whimpered as the circling fingers began to press rhythmically at her entrance, teasing at penetration without actually delivering, and rolled her hips in a futile effort to force them in. "Damnit Lauren, please!"

"Well, if you're sure."

The doctor used the hand in her lovers hair to force her to meet her eyes, and then, without any further preamble, slid three fingers inside her right to the knuckles. The succubus gasped, eyes closing and head tilting back to thump against the wall as she felt the exquisite burn of her muscles adjusting to the sudden intrusion. She had gone from feeling desperately empty to perfectly full, and was happy to take a few moments to appreciate the sensation, something her girlfriend seemed to sense as she held still inside her – content to enjoy the pulsating heat that she had so missed lately.

Unsurprisingly it didn't take long for Bo to get impatient again, and when she began lifting and lowering herself somewhat awkwardly on her hand Lauren started to move in response. Slow, steady pulls and pushes at first, her fingers withdrawing almost completely before sliding smoothly back in as far as they could go. The motion repeated over and over, gradually picking up pace until she was practically slamming Bo back against the wall behind her, both of them infinitely glad for the structural reinforcement and soundproofing that had been built into her new Dark Fae accommodation.

Unable to suppress her own moan at her lover's responsiveness, Lauren buried her face back into Bo's rippling breasts, loving the way the ample mounds moved with every thrust of her hand. She could feel Bo getting that much tighter around her fingers, squeezing at them as if trying to milk even more pleasure from their movements and she took that as the cue to bring her thumb into motion, lowering it to press firmly against the brunette's bulging clit.

"Yes! There!"

Heated cocoa eyes rolled in amusement. "There? Are you sure?" She pressed harder, compressing the sensitive bundle against Bo's pelvis and making rough circles, delighting in the rapid pulse of blood throbbing beneath her thumb. Not to mention the sounds that tumbled from parted lips, prompting her to capture them in a rough, needy kiss. "Come on babe, I know you want to."

"Unngh...close, close, close. Please." Bo's hips were jerking erratically now, fingers bunching the back of Lauren's rumpled shirt in her hands to pull her impossibly closer, feeling as tough she wouldn't be satisfied until every inch of their bodies were sealed permanently as one.

"Stop trying love, and let it come...just like that." The doctor hummed in appreciation as her girlfriend finally caught up with her elusive peak and came apart against her, ecstasy suffusing her beautiful features.

When it was over Bo sagged against the wall, leaning on her for the support needed for her wobbly legs. Being a succubus though, it didn't take her long to recover, and soon Lauren found herself the fixture of a set of iridescent eyes. "Your turn."

"I guess it is. What do you say we-AH! Bo! Put me down right now!" The words were forced out between breathless giggles, Lauren kicking her legs in half-hearted protest as she was scooped up into strong arms and carted in the direction of her bedroom.

"Hmmm...nope!" The succubus bounced her squirming captive lightly in her arms, laughing as she received a squeal and a slap to the back of the head for her efforts. Upon reaching her girlfriend's modern, spacious bedroom she paused dramatically, shifting the blonde's weight in her arms and waiting for her to catch on.

"Wait...no – _DON'T YOU DARE_ – WAH!" Lauren yelped in alarm and indignation as she went sailing through the air to land in a messy heap on her (thankfully very comfortable) luxurious super king bed, making a thorough mess of the neatly levelled duvet and symmetrically arranged pillows. Propping herself up on her elbows she blew the stray strands of hair out of her face with a huff, glaring in Bo's direction. "Smooth, succubus. Real smooth."

"I try." Bo's amusement was not at all dampened by the pout being leveled in her direction, as she stripped herself expertly of her disheveled clothing before pouncing down onto the bed after her girlfriend. "You're far too dressed."

"You always think I'm far too dressed Bo."

"Because you normally are. From now on naked Lauren is the only acceptable Lauren." The brunette nodded seriously, as though she had just passed an official decree.

"I suspect that might make work a bit difficult. And unsanitary. Would get rather cold walking around outside as well – not to mention all the staring people would do."

Bo let out a possessive growl. "No. My naked Lauren. Fine, no clothes in the bedroom."

Chocolate eyes twinkled. "And in winter? It can get pretty chilly you know."

"I won't let you get cold. I will snuggle you warm every night." Nimble fingers that had been working on buttons moved to slide the now loose shirt from Lauren's shoulders, deftly unclasping and removing her bra, then trailing softly down her smooth stomach to repeat the process with her pants and underwear.

Lauren's creamy skin was flushed with equal parts arousal and exertion, cherry-red nipples straining proudly from soft breasts. Bo was unable to resist the urge to capture one between her lips, drawing it into her mouth and suckling. The blonde's hands gripped her strong shoulders, lifting her chest to better offer herself to the fingers that the succubus had brought to her other nipple. The attention to her sensitive buds drove Lauren wild, and it didn't take long until she was urging her girlfriend to move. Bo drew back slightly, gaze softening as she smiled down at her.

"Tell me what you want my love and I'll give it to you. I'll always give it to you."

"Your mouth, I need your mouth Bo."

"My mouth? You want my lips, my tongue?"

"Yeeessss!"

"As you wish." The succubus pressed a final kiss to the puffy nipple beneath her lips before venturing slowly downwards, trailing nips and kisses along Lauren's ribs until she reached her defined abdomen. Here she drew her tongue slowly across the outlines of the twitching muscles, suckling until she had left a scattering of marks. Only once she was satisfied with the random constellation of purple blotches did she move again, nipping briefly at each of the doctors hip bones and revelling in the intoxicating scent of her arousal. Following it down to the source she finally reached her girlfriend's glistening centre, inhaling sharply at the sight.

"Oh, you are so _wet_. Is this for me, hm?"

Lauren didn't respond verbally, choosing instead to tangle her fingers in thick brunette locks and tug her impatiently closer to where she was needed the most. Hissing in pleasure at the slightly rough treatment, Bo dug her fingers into the doctors thighs, scratching her a little in retaliation and pulling them even further apart.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Humming in delight as she found herself face to face with her girlfriends incredibly swollen clitoris.

She used her nose to gently nudge back the hood before blowing a stream of warm air directly over it's tip, kissing Lauren's mound when she bucked her hips in response.

"Oh god." The words were oh so familiar as they rolled off Lauren's tongue, a common utterance when she was under the attentions of her girlfriend. She had experienced good sex before, but Bo, oh Bo was on a whole other level. Her natural given talent combined deliciously with her single minded dedication and now too her familiarity with Lauren's body, and the results were never anything short of cataclysmic.

Bo probed Lauren's entrance with her stiffened tongue, circling it until a sudden jerk of her hips caused it to slip in. The sound that fell from the blonde's lips convinced her to let it stay there, moving only to push in and out. She repeated the motion over and over, slowly picking up the pace to match the roll of Lauren's hips. Every now and then she would pull out, lapping along the length of her and devoting some attention to the needy little bump that brushed against her nose whenever she pushed back in.

Bo could picture Lauren's face. Her eye's no doubt pinched shut, face tensed in a mask of concentration and awash with pleasure. Her girlfriend was beautiful, so beautiful, but in ecstasy she was utterly breathtaking. She couldn't see her like this, but she could feel her, smell her, taste her. She could hear her too, every gasp and whimper, every moan and cry dancing across Bo's ears like a symphony.

It didn't take long before the doctor was chanting her name, eyes clenched shut as Bo's talented tongue drove her closer and closer to her peak. "Just – yes!"

Bo hummed continuously around the swollen bundle of nerves she had captured between her lips again, flicking her tongue against it hard every time she had to pause in the vibrations to inhale. Finally Lauren cried out, arching her back almost completely off the bed. "Nnnggggnn."

_'__And there we go.'_ The succubus smiled proudly as she continued to suckle lightly at her girlfriend's clitoris, only releasing it when she was sure that she had milked as much pleasure from her orgasm as she could. Lauren flopped back down again, body and mind spirally slowly back down to earth, squirming slightly against the tangled sheets as shivers of pleasure continued to shoot through her body. Eventually she went limp in the wake of the chemical release, one hand lifting up to make grabbing motions in Bo's direction, who laughed before conceding and laying down next to the still panting blonde so that she could draw her into her arms. Lauren burrowed her face into her neck, instincts driving her to seek comfort in her warmth and strength while she recovered.

Bo pressed a warm kiss to her girlfriends head, enjoying their moment of peace. Sadly, it didn't last long.

"_Peep!"_

"OH WHAT THE HELL. NO." Bo growled as she sat up, eyes flashing as they focused on the tiny red annoyance that had somehow made it into the bedroom. She glared at it in disbelief as it hopped from the side-table to the blankets and bounced clumsily across towards her girlfriend. "Get out. _Now_."

"Bo! Don't be mean." Much to the frustrated succubus's disgust, Lauren smiled at the Phoenix as it scrambled up her sheet-covered body and onto her chest, sharp talons leaving tiny red dot impressions on her skin – not quite enough to actually hurt at all, but enough to remind her that she was going to have to to keep an eye out for them as he grew. "Hey little guy, what's wrong? Did you miss me?"

The creature made a happy cooing sound as it settled down into the blonde's bare chest, just above her breasts, and Bo growled again – moving as though to swat him off. She pouted when Lauren caught her hand before it could connect, shooting her a warning look before bringing it to her lips and kissing the back of her knuckles. "I'm sorry hon. I should have warned you that he tends to seek me out at various stages during the night."

Made sense, she would too. But that wasn't the point. "Well fine. Can we send him back now?"

"BO!"

"Whaaaat? I haven't spent time with you in two weeks, and having a mini fae in the room is kind of cramping my style. He's seen you now, so give him to me and I'll put him back in his cage."

Lauren rolled her eyes "He's just a baby sweetie. He needs my presence to feel safe at the moment, and to be reassured that I'm safe. If you try to take him away from me he'll probably attack you – not to mention he'll just break out again the second your back is turned."

Accepting defeat (and the sorry fact that she wasn't going to be getting any more sexytime with her girlfriend tonight), Bo sighed and flopped back down onto the mattress. A soft giggling brought her attention back to Lauren, and she felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she watched the doctor pet and play with the affectionate wee bird. The blonde was running her little finger across the back of his head, deliberately messing up his feathers, and the Phoenix would shake them back into place while trying to capture the digit in his beak – gnawing it a bit and shaking it vigorously when he succeeded before letting it go just so that she could ruffle his feathers all over again.

_'__This is what she would be like as a mother.'_ The sudden thought caused Bo's heart to swell almost painfully in her chest, stealing the breath from her lungs, and she was unable to keep from reaching out to brush her fingers gently along the blonde's jaw.

"Hmm?"

Chocolate eyes blinked at the succubus curiously and she smiled, shaking her head slightly. "Nothing, I just...I really love you, you know that?"

Lauren's entire face lit up like the sun as she beamed across at her with so much emotion in her gaze that Bo almost melted on the spot. "I know. I love you too. And I'm sorry. About the phoenix."

"What? Why do you say that?"

"I know it wasn't exactly what you anticipated dealing with when you came over this afternoon. It's been so long since we were able to spend time together and now-"

A swift but powerful kiss cut the doctor's nervous rambling short, stunning her into a temporary state of silence. Which suited Bo just fine.

"You have nothing to be sorry for baby. I mean, of course I wasn't expecting to find a freshly adopted tiny mystical creature in my girlfriend's apartment – who would? But that isn't something you need to apologize for. It's amazing. You're amazing." The succubus could see a seed of doubt in her lover's face and moved quickly to prevent it from taking root. "Seriously Lauren, a _phoenix_ bound itself to you – you told me yourself just how rare and special that is. Not to mention the benefits this is going to give you, the protection, the gifts...my god Lauren the _life_. I can have you by my side and in my arms for the rest of my life now, how could that not make me anything but eternally grateful? I've been trying to tell you for so long just how incredible you are, and this just proves my point once and for all."

Bo paused for a much needed breath only to find herself now on the receiving end of a passionate kiss, her arms suddenly full of a very amorous blonde. That didn't last long however, as a thoroughly discontented phoenix interrupted their brief moment of bliss with a cringe-worthy shriek and a burst of flame – apparently not at all impressed with being flung clean off his cozy nest in Lauren's chest and onto the floor.

"Shit!"

Needless to say, Bo got almost as much of a shock at her girlfriend's language as she had at her charges incredibly vocal protest, but she recovered quickly enough when said girlfriend leapt over her frozen form to drop down on her knees down on the carpet next to where the phoenix had landed.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry! Shit! Did I hurt you?"

The little bird squawked loudly at her in response, deftly evading her outstretched hands and scuttling across the floor to hide under the bed as she reached for him.

"I'm sorry sweetie, please come here."

The familiar crack in her voice alerted the succubus that her girlfriend was near tears, and her heart twisted painfully in her chest. Her tense shoulders relaxed a fraction when the creature finally peeked back out from his shelter and came back towards the doctor, seeming to respond to the pain and sadness in her tone. Lauren picked him up carefully and checked him for injuries for the second time that day, not satisfied until every feather was examined and put back in place. Climbing cautiously back into bed, she cradled him to her chest, looking across at Bo with so much guilt in her expression that the brunette had to actively restrain herself from sweeping her back into her arms.

"Is he okay?"

"It seems so, they are very tough creatures and he doesn't seem to be hurt anywhere. I think I just scared him."

"He seems all right." The moisture pooling in the corners of the doctor's eyes nearly broke her heart, and she brushed them away soothingly. "Baby it was an accident."

"I could have really hurt him. I practically threw him Bo!"

"Shhh." The succubus drew Lauren carefully back into her, maneuvering her so that she was leaning back against her chest and resting her head on her shoulder. "You didn't though. I thought they were almost indestructible?"

"I...well they are, but..." She glanced back down to the phoenix, who had settled back down again after relocating from her hands to her apparently perfectly snuggly chest. "I just feel so bad."

"Don't. He's fine Lauren, look, he's already sleeping again...in your boobs. Not that I blame him, but..." Bo pouted, looking for all the world like a child who had just had to give their favorite toy to their sibling.

The doctor simply giggled again. "He's comfortable. Breast tissue is soft, and he finds my heartbeat soothing. It's just because he's a baby. Why, are you jealous?"

"What? No! Well, maybe a little. I like snuggling into your boobs too. And I was here first."

"Aww, poor baby succubus." A pause, then, "I should go put him back in his nest now anyway though."

"You don't have to." Bo's statement caught them both by by surprise. "Really. He can stay here with us for a bit. Hey, I know we didn't exactly meet on the best terms, but he is a huge part of your life now. Besides, he is pretty cute."

"He really is." Lauren agreed, her lips curling up again. "But I do need to put him back, he'll start to get too cold soon without the heat lamps, and it really isn't good for his temperature to drop while he is so young."

Reluctantly pulling away from the warm embrace, she pressed a quick kiss to her girlfriends lips, hurrying downstairs to tuck her charge in for the night so she could return to the beautiful woman waiting for her.

* * *

Bo woke abruptly, eyes snapping open to blink confusedly in the darkened bedroom and ears straining to figure out what had drawn her from her slumber. It was disorientating, these days she was used to waking slowly, swimming leisurely from her out of reach dreams into consciousness, surrounded by the comforting warmth and scent of her girlfriend's skin pressed against her own. Her foremost reaction to such a rapid return to awareness was alarm – past experience had lent the wisdom that it was always safer to assume danger and be wrong than to remain idle and be caught out. A careful scan of the rooms shadows revealed no threats, but when she glanced over to check the soft glow of the clock on her night-stand, it did uncover the cause of her disturbed sleep.

It seemed the young phoenix had once again grown anxious in the safety of his special enclosure, and had escaped back upstairs in search of the comfort and assurance his adopted mother could provide. The succubus sighed silently to herself as she watched him hop around on the plush cream carpet before raising his glittering head and warbling mournfully. Wincing as the sound reverberated in the quiet of the bedroom Bo quickly cast her gaze to Lauren, hoping beyond hope that it hadn't awoken her and relived by the sight that greeted her when she did.

The doctor was fast asleep, curled up like a kitten against her amply cushioned chest and making the most adorable soft snoozing noises that she had ever heard in her life. Not wanting to wake her, and more than content to watch her sleep, Bo slowly pulled away from her a bit so that she could roll onto her back. Lauren whimpered, face tensing into a frown, and she felt a smile tugging at her lips when the blonde followed her unconsciously across the bed until she could burrow back into her side, grumbling a little before settling back down. A sharp chirp pulled Bo's attention from her snuggly girlfriend and back to the reason for her rearrangement, and she sighed, trailing her fingers through fragrant curls and murmuring softly to soothe Lauren when she stirred at the sound.

"Come here." The words were barely a whisper, hushed for fear of further disturbing the woman in her arms, but the phoenix turned it's attention to Bo immediately.

"Come on." The succubus wriggled her fingers, as though beckoning a puppy. Lauren had been adamant about the intelligence of the species, and she had a strong feeling that despite it's young age the creature understood a lot more than anyone would expect.

Sure enough, the mystical bird stared at her for a few seconds before clicking it's beak shut and hopping into the air, bouncing unsuccessfully off the carpet and into the side of the bed frame a few times before startlingly beautiful wings snapped out in a flash of gold and crimson to give it the boost needed to propel itself up onto the bed with two unstable and slightly lopsided flaps. Once up there he hesitated before making as though to hop across her legs to get to Lauren, and Bo quickly intervened.

"No, leave her alone. Come here."

"_Peep_!"

"She's sleeping. And exhausted. Leave her be. Come on, I don't bite."

The bird shuffled in place for a few seconds, as if considering her words, and then bounced tentatively up towards her. She smiled when he paused to sniff at Lauren's hand where she had flopped it possessively over the succubus's waist as she settled, and held out her own free arm invitingly as he drew level with her chest. Here he paused again, inspecting her closely, before – apparently satisfied with what he found – he moved closer until he could tuck himself into the crook of her elbow where it was bent to allow her hand to rest gently on the silky skin of her girlfriend's toned back.

"We really need to give you a name, huh?"

"Peep?"

"Yeah, a name. We'll talk to your mama about it in the morning."

"Peep!"

Bo allowed her eyes to drift shut. Everything was changing again, and she found that she for one couldn't wait to see what these changes would bring.

* * *

**A/N: So there it is! This was only ever meant to be a two-shot unfortunately, but I certainly wasn't expecting to get such a wonderful response, so depending on how my muse cooperates I may add more chapters later.**


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